Shifter Location, May Hit Dash

[cobracobra]

After speaking to Alan last week he advised me on my shifter location. I have the "Nascar" big spline output 4 speed toploader from SA. He said that he has never run into a toploader that has sit this close to the dash before and wasnt sure were the tranny might have come out from. Before I speak to Bill from SA and drill my hole, has anybody had this issue before? Alan told me to measure from the rear bulkhead to the centerline for more accurate measuring rather than the dash.
Thanks,

-Mike

[Justin Upchurch]

Mike,

You seem to be making fast progress on your car! Was it just a painted DPK when you got it?

Justin

[cobracobra]

Yes, I ordered it painted/roller. Got some plumbing to do(oil lines/fuel/radiator) , wiring(uuuhhhh!) , carpet/seats. Im looking ahead with the shifter question though.

-Mike

[Master]

I spoke with Butch Capps from Mid south Gear about your problem. Butch does alot of top loaders for Unique including mine. Call him at 865-524-4800. I'm sure he can walk you through any of your problems.

[ralphscott]

Butch set mine up as we encountered a similar if not the same problem. Apart from fabricating a bracket to offset the linkage we shortened the shifter as you can see in this picture. Real nice, tight, and clean further no skinned knuckles.

Ralph

[cobracobra]

Just heard back from Butch...NOT GOOD NEWS!
he told me that the tranny I have is from a Galaxie and it wont work.
can ANYONE that has this same combo that I bought from SA please get back to me.
ps: when I spoke to Bill yesterday he assured me everything would line up and it would work....

427 S/O
31 Spline toploader

-Mike

[Brent]

Trust me......If Butch said no.......It's no!

He is the man in that catagory and no matter what Bill said I would do what Butch said. No disrespect meant to Bill, but, he is the motor guy not the trans guy.

[ralphscott]

Mike, Ditto on Brent's comment. I have known Butch for a bunch of years and he knows what he is talking about.

Ralph

[Naumoff]

Mike hear are the pictures I told you I would post. Different tail shaft than yours. My shifter is 17" to center from the rear bulkhead.
Note the shifter mounting plate.

[will butterworth]

Mike--Butch--Will-alabama

[cobracobra]

After more research the GREAT people at Unique (my buddy Alan and Co.) shipped me my NEW shifter 2" shorter...I figure I would try this route before ripping out the tranny. check out the pic...-Mike

[Aggressor]

Mike
Here's two more sources of information.
Dan Williams Toploaders
www.toploadertransmissions.com/
David Kee
/www.4speedtoploaders.com/

Dan Williams has been very helpful in the past and has swapped tail housings with me for the price of shipping.
He can recommend how to adjust your shifter placement to get a proper look and feel.
He claims to have rebuilt over 5000 toploaders in his lifetime and is very willing to share his information.

-Geary